KEVIN ‘SAER’ LEONG

With over 15 years of design experience in the fashion industry, Kevin Saer Leong will launch his signature collection, Origami, during New York Fashion Week to debut his Spring/Summer 2012 collection. Based on the ancient Asian art of folding paper, the collection features apparels made from the finest fabrics such as Italian selvedge denim, lambswool and cashmere.  A second-generation designer, Kevin has been involved with a multitude of major brands ranging from Phat Farm to Heatherette amongst his long roster of accomplishments.

In addition to his responsibilities as CEO and Head Designer for Origami, Kevin is currently the Senior Vice President Creative Director of Simmons Design Group. In this role, he oversees the design for all of Russell Simmons’s brands previously including Baby Phat, Phat Farm, Run Athletics, Simmons Jewelry Company, and as of current, Argyle Culture, American Classics and Atman. All of his work is done through his own design company, Black Bean Sauce.

Throughout the years, notable brands such as Heatherette, Reebok, JLo, Riddim Driven, Triple Five Soul, Zoo York and Andre Harrell’s – Champagne and Bubbles, have brought in Kevin to design for their various collections.  Transcending into the non-apparel world, he has worked on several co-branded projects including a Motorola phone package design, a limited edition Phat Farm Denali vehicle, and a gold and diamond PSP case.

A graduate of Fashion Institute of Technology, Kevin studied advertising graphic design before beginning his career with Russell Simmons at the age of just 18 years old.  A native New Yorker, Kevin was born in Brooklyn and raised in Staten Island.  Born of Chinese decent, he draws from the Asian culture as inspiration for Origami.  He has been featured on Oprah Winfrey, MTV Run’s House, MTV Korea, Nightline with Ted Koppel, Current TV and in many publications including GQ, DNR, and Sportswear International.

ABOUT ORIGAMI

ORIGAMI™ blends fashion with technology, luxury fabrications with an urban edge, art with music — to create timeless designs igniting passionate consumers eager to learn the story behind the brand.

Using innovative fabrics with classic silhouettes is the essence of ORIGAMI™. On every piece, the iconic origami fold made of DuPont™ Tyvek® distinguishes ORIGAMI™ from other contemporary brands, while the green grasshopper logo represents the ORIGAMI™ support for  green living through sustainable fabrics.